Nottingham tenders £3m rail gantry and district heating infrastructure contract

Nottingham City Council has launched a £3m design and build tender for the replacement of a rail gantry carrying high-pressure steam pipework and electrical connections serving the city’s district heating network.

The contract will see a single contractor appointed to complete the RIBA Stage 4 design, construction, commissioning and installation of a new rail gantry before demolishing the existing structure.

The project supports Nottingham’s district heating network, which supplies around 5,000 homes and commercial properties, together with a private wire network serving approximately 200 domestic and business customers from the London Road Heat Station.

The existing steam pipe crosses the railway east of Nottingham Station via a gantry linking the nearby Eastcroft Incinerator to the heat station.

The infrastructure must now be relocated closer to London Road to enable a proposed development on land north of the railway.

Due to the complexity of the scheme, contractors must be Network Rail approved and demonstrate experience in designing and constructing high-pressure steam pipework and high-voltage electrical infrastructure.

The successful contractor will be expected to complete commissioning during the planned summer shutdown in July 2027, when the district heating system can be safely connected.

Tender submissions close on 16 September 2026, with Nottingham City Council expecting to award the contract in October 2026.